Electrical means for operating or raising and lowering railway booms and the like



P 1932- A. BUTTERWORTH ET AL 1,879,919 ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR OPERATING ORRAISING AND'LOWERING' RAILWAY BOOMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 24, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept- 1932- A. BUTTERWORTH ET AL ELECTRICAL MEANS FOROPERATING OR RAISING AND LOWERING RAILWAY BOOMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan.24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNTTED STATES PATENTorFicE ARTHUR BUTTER-WORTH AND NILS JOHN VIKEN, OF JOHANNESBU'RG,TRANSVAAL, UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR ornnnrme onRAISING AND LOWERING AND THE LIKE RAILWAY BOOMS Application filedJanuary 24, 1931. Serial No. 511,072.

This invention relates to electrical means for operating or raising andlowering railway booms of the kind commonly employed at level crossings,or to electrically actuated, automatically, or manually controlled,mechanical means for raising and lowering such booms.

The object of the invention is to design an easily operated andcontrolled efiicient means of the nature indicated, which comprises butfew working parts, so that the possibility of its becoming disorganizedis minimized.

The electrical means according to this invention can be operated eitherautomatically by the train, locomotive, or other vehicle traversing thepermanent way or track, as it passes over certain fixed points in thetrack at opposite sides of the crossing, or manually by suitableswitches which can be placed '2 under the control of the signalman andbe operated simultaneously with the operation of the Sl HZIlS, orotherwise, or the means can be so arranged that 1t can be operatedmanually by any other authorized person.

The means according to this invention can be arranged to operateindependently and automatically with each of a plurality of tracksthrough common power and controlling circuits, or automatically with asingle track, or manually with one or a plurality of tracks.

The arrangement is adapted for use with the known mechanical means whichare operated by an electric motor to raise and lower the booms, or withany other similar or equivalent means.

In one embodiment of the invention adapted to be operated automaticallyby the trains traversing the track or tracks, the arrangement is suchthat should more than one train, et cetera, run on to the portion of thetrack, or any of the tracks, intermediate the track switch devices orrail contacts, then the booms will be automatically lowered or closed bythe first train, et cetera, running on to said portion and remain closeduntil the last of the trains has run ofi the portion of its trackbetween the track switch devices, and has operated the track switch or'rail contact that closes the power circuit and so raises the booms.

In an arrangement designed to be operated automatically by the train, etcetera, and applied to one or a plurality of tracks the trafic alongwhich passes over the crossing controlled by the booms, a false orsupplementary rail is provided for each track, and is arranged alongsideand in proximity to one of the rails of the track and insulatedtherefrom. This false rail extends to within a suitable short distanceof both of the track switch devices or rail contacts.

The means or arrangement includes the controlling circuit in which isplaced a pair of solenoids associated with interlocking change-over orreversing switches in the power circuit, which switches may, forexample, be in the form of knife contact switches, from which are takenthe leads to the reversing motor. The cores or armatures of thesolenoidsare hingedly connected to a pivoted yoke member, which latteroperates, for each solenoid, a suitable switch, such as a knife contactswitch. 7

p The contacts or devices which are operated by and during the travel ofcertain parts of the boom raising and lowering means, to break the powercircuit and so shut off the supply of current to and stop the motor justbefore the booms reach the limit of their movement in either the raisingor lowering direction, are in the controlling circuit, and so areco-operatively combined with the solenoids and the switches which areoperated by the pivoted member.

A relay is provided in the controlling circuit for each of the solenoidsoperating the main switches, which relays are so arranged that they comeinto operation, when a train is on the false or supplementary rail, tocut out the rail contacts or track switches. This arrangement ensuresthat the relay continues to function so long as a train is on thesection of the track intermediatethe track switches or rail contacts,and so preventsany interference with the controlling circuit by anyother train which might enter said section. By this arrangement the lasttrain to pass out of the section intermediate the track switches will bethe-one which will operate the track switch, and by so doing, close thecontrolling circuit to operate the interlocking changeover switch of thepower circuit to actuate the motor to raise the booms, and then reversethe motor. Electric switch means are preferably provided and combinedwith the relays, which means can be operated by hand, if required, sayin the case of any emergency rendering it necessary, as in the event ofit being desired to operate the booms while a train is standing for somelength oftime in the protected section intermediate the track switches.

In the case of a plurality of tracks, they may be arranged electricallyin parallel, or

s the electrical connections to the track may be them the maininterlocked reversing switches of the power circuit. In addition anemergency stop switch may beprovided in the controlling circuit tocutoff the supply of current to the reversing motor and so prevent :2further movement of the booms.

The invention will be further explained with the aid of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation of the general arrangement ofthe mechanical means for raising and lowering the booms' tracks-notshown.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, the booms being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a general arrangement of the electrical means, adapted to beoperated automatically by the train.

Fig. 3a is a plan view of a detailof-construction of the supplementaryrail, 7 Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 adapted for handactuation,and V Fig. 5 is a sectional fragmentary view showing one wayof arranging the false or supplementary rail in relation to one of therails of the track. p 1 1 In the general mechanical arrangementillustrated in Figs- 1 and 2, the numerals 1, 2, denote the booms (shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2), which, as usual, are positioned at thecrossing at opposite sides of the track. or The booms 1, 2, are shownpivotally attached, at 3, to standards or supports 4, referencecharacter 5 in Fig. 1 representing the other standards or posts withwhich'the other ends of the booms, 1, 2, engage when lowered to closethe crossing,

and 6 the counterweights on the rear or shorter arms of the booms 1, 2.

7 is the electric. reversing motor in the power circuit (4, adapted tobe reversed elec trically by the interlocking changeover switches.

8 is a casing which encloses the worm and worm-wheel of the transmissionand speed reduction means for transmitting motion fromthe motor shaft 9through the worm to the worm-wheel on the screw 10. The casing 8 isconstructed with a horizontal guiding member 11, which,near its outerend, is carried by a support 12. At its outer end the guide 11 has fixedto it a bearing 13 for the outer end of the screw 10. 14' is a nutwhich'is slidably mounted on the guide 11 and is adapted to be traversedthereon by the screw 10 which works through it. The nut 14 has pivotallyattached to it at the sides two parallel bars or members 15, in the formof a frame, between the outer ends of which is fixed a pin 16.

The one boom 1 is operated directly off the rear endof the frame 15 by alink 17, which is pivotally attached to one arm of a bellcrank lever 18,which lever 18 is pivoted at 19 to the post or standard 4,.the other armof the bell-crank, lever 18 being pivotally attached to the boom 1, at20, by the link 21.

The other boom 2 is simultaneously operated ofi the frame 15 by the pin16 engaging in the slotted end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 22,which lever is pivotally carried by a support 23. The other arm of thebell-crank lever 22 has pivotally attached to it one end of a rod orlink 24, which at its other extremity is pivotally attached to one armof a similar bell-crank lever 25, which is pivotally carried on asupport 26. .The other and slotted arm of the bell-crank lever 25 isengaged by a pin 27 carried by a connecting piece 28, which is pivotallyattached to a link 29, which latter, at its other end, is pivotallyattached to a bell-crank lever 30, 31 being a link connecting the otherarm of said bellcranklever 30 to the boom 2. The booms 1, 2, are shownin an intermediate position, or substantially midway between the raisedand lowered positions. See Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 3, in which weillustrate diagrammatically the general arrangement of the electricalmeans adapted to be operated automatically by the train, etcetera, 32,33, denote the rails of the permanent way or track. 34 is thesupplementary or false rail, which is arranged alongside the rail 33 ofthe track and is insulated therefrom. In Fig.

5 we show a convenient way of arranging the false or supplementary rail34 in relation to the rail 33 of the track and of insulating ittherefrom. The supplementary rail 34 is shown in the form of a barcarried by the rail 33 at a suitable distance therefrom at one sidethereof,'and attached thereto by bolts 3404., 346 are'washers ofinsulating material placed round the bolts. 34a in the holes through therail 33. i 340 is oneof the wheels of the vehicle or train, shownbridging across of contacts 59, 60 and'61, 62,

the main rail 33 and supplementaryrail 34,

so that when a vehicle or train is inthe section under control thecurrent can pass through the wheels and axles of the vehicle or trainbetweenthe supplementary rail 34 and the other mainrail 32. To precludethe possibility of any vehicle passing over the crossing 34asee Fig.3afrom short-cir- 39, operate to control the flow ofthe supply ofcurrent from the generator 43 to the motor 37 in both directions. 40represents the movable knives and 41 the fixed contacts of the switches38, 39. The movable knives 40 are attached to and carried bycross-pieces 42 connected to and insulated from the armatures or cores44 of the solenoids 45, 46. 45a, 46a, are springs which are placed undercompression when the core of the corresponding solenoid is moved toclose the power circuit through the switch 38 or 39, and operate, whenthe solenoid is cle-energized, to open the power circuit.

47 is the battery or source of supply of ourrent for the controllingcircuit. 5.

48 is the yoke member, pivoted at 49, and connected at its extremitiesby links 50, 51, to the armatures or cores 44 of the solenoids 45, 46.The yoke member 48, at its ends, carries the movable knives 52, 53,which are adapted to make contact with the fixed con tacts 54, 55.

56, 57, are the mechanical contact devices which are operated during thetravel of the nut 14 on the screw 10, when the latter nears the endofits movement in both directions. For this purpose a suitably curvedplate or cam 58 is lixed to one of the trunnions of the nut 14 in such aposition as slidingly to engage with the contact devices 56, 57, justbefore it completes its travel on the screw in the respective directionsof movement. The contact devices 56, 57-see Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawingseach cooperate with a pair respectively, to stop the motor andreverse it.

63, 64, represent the track switches or rail contacts, which mayconveniently be in the form of mercury splash switches and are adapted,by the passing of the train over the track rails 32, 33, to closethecontrolling circuit 5 to energize one of the solenoids 45 or 46, andsooperate the interlocking changeover or reversing switches 38, 39, and bydoing so, to close the circuit a to drive the motor in 38, 39 are theinterlocking "the requisite direction tooperate the booms 65, 66 are thetwo relays, and 67, 68 the armatures which, when the train is in contactwith the supplementary rail 34, are attracted by the energized relays65, 66, and break the controlling circuit 5, and prevent any other trainor trains which may enter the section between the track switches, or anytrain but the last that may leave said section, from closing. thecontrolling circuit 5 to operate the motor.

69 is the push button or switch which cooperates with the two contacts70, 71, to en sure the one control 70 cutting out the relay 66, and theother 71 .closing the controlling circuit to energize one or other ofthe solenoids 45, 46, and so operate the motor and the booms 1, 2, incase of any emergency rendering it necessary.

In. the operation of this embodiment of the invention, the train whichlast passed through the section will have actuated the means to open orraise the booms 1, 2, and in doing so will have caused the cam 58 to contact with and depress the contact device 57. If the next succeedingtrain approachesthe crossing in the direction which causes it to operatethe switch 63, then the controlling circuit energizes the solenoid 45through switch 63, lead or conductor 0, armature 67, contact 62, lead d,contact 59 and lead 6 to the solenoid 45, the circuit being completed byway of leads f and 9, through the battery 47, leads h andz', and rail 32to the switch 63. This energizing of the solenoid 45 attracts the coreor armature 44 and causes the movable knives to make contact with thefixed contacts 41 of the change-over. switch 38, which makes the circuit1 between the generator 43 and motor 37 through lead 36, switch 38, lead70, motor 37 ,lead j, switch 38 and lead 35. The attraction of the coreor armature 44 also makes the contact between the movable knife 52 andthe fixed contact 54, and this switch operates through yoke member 48,lead 2', lead it, battery 47, lead 7", solenoid 45, lead e,contact 59and leadd,'to keep the solenoid energized after the train has actuatedthe switch 63 and before it comes into contact with the auxiliaryrail'34, until the booms 1, 2, have been lowered and the cam 58 hasdepressed the contact 56 to reverse the motor 37. r

This operation of switch 38 causes the motor to run in a directionto'traverse the nut '14 in the direction of the contact device 56, andin doing so to lower the booms 1, 2. 7

Any further trains entering the section will not operate the controllingcircuit, and the booms 1, 2, will remain lowered or closed owing to thebreaking of the controlling circuit 5 by the relays 65, 66,when thetrain is in contact was the supplementary rail 34.

The relays 65, 66, are placed in circuit with in contact with thesupplementary rail 34 by and leads z, h, to the battery. Just before thecurrent passing from the battery 47, through leads 9, m and m relays 65,66, (which retract the armatures 67, 68, to break the circuit 6), leadsZ, Z supplementary rail 34, the wheels and axles. of the train, mainrail 32,

booms 1, 2, reach the closed or horizontal position, the cam 58 engagesthe contact device 56 and stops the motor 37, by breaking the contact at59, and makes the contact at60 to reverse the motor when the solenoid 46is energized by the operation of the'switch 64. If there are a number oftrains in the section between thetrack switches63, 64, these, with theexception of the last one, will pass out of the section withoutaffecting orinterfering with either the controlling or power circuits asthe controlling circuit is broken by the relays 65,66, while'any trainis in contact with the supplementary rail 34, the booms will remain inthe'lo'wered or closed position until the last train to leave thesection operates the track switchl64, whereupon the solenoid 46 will beenergized and the core or armature 44 thereof be attracted and operatethe interlocking change-over switch .39 and switch 53, 55, to closethepower circuit a and drive the motor 37 to raise the booms 1, 2. Uponoperation of the switch 64 by a train leaving the section, thecontrolling circuit b energizes the solenoid 46 through switch 64, leadsn and d, contact'60, leads 0 and 0, contact 61, and lead 29 to thesolenoid-46, the circuit being completed through leads g, f and g to thebattery 47 and thence through leads it and i, and rail 32 tothe switch64. The

passage of the last train off therail 34-bybreaking the electricalcontact between rails 34 and 32 causes the relays 65, 66, to bedeenergized, so that the armatures 67 68, close the controlling circuit6. 7

During the raising of the booms 1, 2, the nut 14 traverses the screw '10inthe direction of the contact device 57 and the cam. 58 contacts withsaid device just before the booms reach the raised position. The contactof the cam 58 with the contact device 57 again stops the motor 37 andmakes the contact at 62' the switch 63 is actuated by the next incomingtrain. Y

As will be understood, inthe event of a switches 63, 64,.and firstpassing over track switch 64, the arrangement will operate in the samemanner to actuate the motor 37-to lower the booms 1, 2, and reverse themotor, through the controlling circuit Z), by way of switch 64, leads nand cl, contact 59 and lead 6 to the solenoid 45, and thence by leads fand g, battery 47 leads 7L and z', and rail 32 to switch 64. Theenergized solenoid 45 will then operate the change-over switch 38, as

previously described, to close the power circuit a, in order todrivethezmotor 37 to lower the booms 1,2. The knife contact switch52,

train entering thesection between the track Upon the train leaving thesection it will actuate the train switch 63, which will energizesolenoid 46 to. operate change-over switch 39 and knife contact switch53, 55, to drive the motor. 37 to raise or open the booms 1, 2. Thecircuit to energize the solenoid 46 in this case is made through switch63, lead 0, contact 61, and lead 39 to the solenoid 46, and thence by.leads f and g, battery 47 leads 7?, and i and rail 32 to switch .63. Theknife Contact switch circuit to keep the solenoid 46 energized until thebooms 1, 2, have been raised, in this case is made by way of movablecontact 53, yoke member 48, leads 2' and h, battery 47, leads 9, f, g,solenoid 46, leadp, contact 61 and lead 0 to the fixed contact 55. I

The emergency switch 69 is used under the conditions and operates in themanner previously explained to allow the booms l 2, to be actuatedwhilst one or more trains'are standing on the track in the sectionintermediate the track switches 63, 64.

In the arrangement represented in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which isdesigned to be operated manually, the power and controlling circuits a,b, respectively are the same, or substantially the same, as in'thearrangement described in connection with Fig. 3, and the same numeralsof reference will serve to indicate the same or corresponding parts. Asshown, the track switches and relays are dispensed with. In thecontrolling circuit 5 there are interposed'the manually operated pushbutton switches 72, 73, the one for operating the interlockingchangeover switch to close the power circuit to operate the motor 37 tolower the booms 1, 2, and the other to close the power circuit tooperate the motor 37 to raise the booms 1, 2.

74 is an emergency switch to enable the motor 37 to be stopped to arrestthe movement of the booms 1,2, in any position. The manner in which thisform of the invention operates will be apparent from the detaileddescription of the operation of the arrangement described in connectionwith F ig. 3.

What we claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patentis 1. Means for automatically raising and lowering railway booms and thelike, including, in combination, an electric power circuit, a reversingmotor in said power circuit, a pair of interlocking change-over switcheseach adapted alternately to control the power circuit, mechanical meanswhich are operated by the motor to raise and lower the booms, meansactuated by said mechanical means for stopping the motor when the boomsare raised or lowered and ensuring its rotation in the op,- positedirection when the interlocking changeover switches are again operated,an electric circuit for controlling the power circuit includingasolenoid for each of said changeover switches, track switches in thecontrolling circuit at each side of the crossing, a relay circuit, andmeans in said relay circuit intermediate the track switches with whichmeans the train contacts and, by closing the relay circuit, breaks thecontrolling circuit, as set forth.

2. Means for automatically raising and lowering railway booms and thelike, including, in combination, an electric power circuit, a reversingmotor in said power circuit, a pair of interlocking change-over switcheseach adapted alternately to control the power circuit, mechanical meanswhich are operated bythe motor to raise and lower the booms, meansactuated by said mechanical means for stopping the motor when the boomsare raised or lowered and ensuring its rotation in the oppositedirection when the interlocking change-over switches are again operated,an electric circuit for controlling the power circuit including asolenoid for each of said change-over switches, track switches in thecontrolling circuit at each side of the crossing, and a pair of furtherswitches which are also operated by the solenoids simultaneously withthe change-over switches and close the controlling circuit independentlyof the track switches until said circuit is broken by the mechanicalmeans to stop the motor, as set forth.

3. Means for automatically raising and lowering railway booms and thelike, including, in combination, an electric power circuit, a reversingmotor in said power circuit, a pair of interlocking change-over switcheseach adapted alternately to control the power circuit, mechanical meanswhich are operated by the motor to raise and lower the booms, meansactuated by said mechanical means for stopping the motor when the boomsare raised or lowered and ensuring its rotation in the oppositedirection when the interalso operated by the solenoids simultaneouslywith the change-over switches and close the controlling circuitindependently of the track switches until said circuit is broken by themechanical means to stop the motor, a relay circuit, and means in saidrelay circuit intermediate the track switches with which means the traincontacts and, by closing the relay circuit, breaks the controllingcircuit, as set forth.

4. Means for automatically raising and lowering railway booms and thelike, including, in combination, an electric power circuit, a reversingmotor in said power circuit, a pair of interlocking change-over switcheseach adapted alternately to control the power circuit, mechanical meanswhich are'operat-ed by the motor to raise and lower the booms, meansactuated by said mechanical means for stopping the motor when the boomsare raised or lowered and ensuring its rotation in the oppositedirection when the interlocking change-over switches are againope-rated, an electric circuit for controlling the power circuitincluding a solenoid for each of said change-over switches, trackswitches in the controlling circuit at each side of the cross ing, apair of further switches which are also operated by the solenoidssimultaneously with the change-over switches and close the controllingcircuit independently of the track switches until said circuit is brokenby the mechanical means to stop the motor, a relay circuit, and asupplementary rail in the track section between the track switches andin the relay circuit which, by closing the relay circuit when a train isin the section, breaks the controlling circuit, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

ARTHUR BUTTERWORTH. NILS JOHN VIKEN.

